MMA Community Dismisses Chael Sonnen and Anthony Smith’s Tom Aspinall Criticism After UFC 321 Eye Poke
When Tom Aspinall’s first title defense ended in a no-contest after a brutal double eye poke from Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 on October 25, 2025, the heavyweight champion’s decision to withdraw became the focal point of widespread debate. The incident, which occurred at 4:35 of the first round inside the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, forced referee Jason Herzog to halt the bout after Aspinall repeatedly told ringside officials he could not see.
Chael Sonnen and Anthony Smith Talks UFC 321
However, former UFC title challengers Chael Sonnen and Anthony Smith were quick to offer commentary suggesting the undisputed heavyweight champion should have powered through the injury and continued fighting. Their take spawned considerable backlash from the MMA community, with fans and analysts pushing back against what they viewed as unrealistic expectations placed upon a champion facing a genuine medical crisis.
During the ESPN post-fight show, Sonnen addressed Aspinall’s choice directly, stating that fighting with one eye represents standard practice within the sport. “Being poked in the eye is illegal Brendan, but to fight with one eye is very common,” Sonnen explained.
“The opponent is trying to hit your eye; he’s trying to bust you up and make your nose bleed. So that part of it, it does have a question mark for guys like Anthony and I. We are trying to be polite. We are trying to show grace, but in all fairness, you’re the heavyweight champion of the world. You’ve got to fight with one eye at times.”
Sonnen also suggested that Aspinall may have been struggling more than anticipated and seized the opportunity to exit the bout. “I thought the fight was turning out to be a little bit harder than perhaps Tom expected,” he continued, pointing to the fact that Aspinall had finished six opponents in the first round throughout his UFC career.
Anthony Smith echoed this perspective, recounting his own experience fighting through an eye poke during a bout against Ryan Spann in Singapore. “I’m not saying it’s Tom’s fault. And I’m not going to pretend that I know how bad it is or isn’t,” Smith stated.
“I think Chael made a poetic point that you have to be used to or willing to fight with one eye. I did it in Singapore. You never say ‘I can’t see’ if you want to continue a fight.” Smith suggested that maintaining composure and careful communication with the referee allowed him to continue competing, implying that Aspinall could have employed similar strategies.
MMA Fans respond
The widespread criticism from fans and analysts countered both narratives. On social media, John S. Nash tweeted the sentiment that would echo across multiple platforms: “Two dudes that never held a title have a lot of thoughts on how champions should act.”
Reddit threads discussing the incident overflowed with users defending Aspinall while questioning the credibility of the criticism. One highly upvoted comment highlighted the disparity in stakes, noting that Aspinall’s position as the heavyweight champion meant the injury carried significantly higher consequences than what Smith experienced. The commenter referenced the severity of eye injuries, stating that “the eyeball itself can rupture if poked hard enough” and questioned whether comparing a title defense to a non-title fight was logically sound.
Another recurring theme in the community response centered on Dana White‘s own comments at the post-fight press conference. When asked about the rematch, White stated that “Tom didn’t want to continue in the fight” rather than acknowledging that the champion was medically unable to do so. This phrasing sparked considerable outrage. An MMA analyst on social media wrote, “Imagine your own promoter saying you, Tom Aspinall, the UFC heavyweight champion of the world, ‘didn’t want to continue in the fight’ instead of admitting you literally couldn’t continue because your eyes were mangled by a double eye poke. Insane ‘promotional’ approach.”
The eye poke itself was significant enough to warrant immediate medical attention. Slow-motion replays showed both of Gane’s fingers entering Aspinall’s eyes simultaneously, with one reportedly penetrating so deeply that its middle knuckle became the first visible component. Aspinall was transported to a hospital in Abu Dhabi following the bout for evaluation, indicating that the injury was substantial enough to require professional medical assessment beyond the cage-side evaluation.
Inside the octagon, Aspinall’s immediate reaction provided additional context for his decision. The frustrated champion responded to the crowd’s boos by explaining his position explicitly: “I just got poked knuckle deep in the eyeball. What am I supposed to do? I can’t see,” he stated. “This is bulls*t. The fight was just getting going. Complete bulls*t. I’m pissed off. I can hardly open my eye.”
The criticism also extended to perceived inconsistency in expectations. Multiple community members pointed out that if top-ranked fighters like Jon Jones or other former champions had faced identical circumstances, the narrative might have been framed differently. The selective nature of the scrutiny appeared to influence how harshly Aspinall was judged compared to other competitors who had faced similar medical situations in recent UFC history.
Ciryl Gane, despite being the fighter responsible for the eye poke, received more sympathy from the community than Aspinall did. Gane expressed genuine disappointment about the outcome during the post-fight press conference, stating that he had looked competitive in the early exchanges and felt he had executed his gameplan effectively. “I believe we kicked off very well. Everyone knows I begin with my jabs, while he attempts to catch his opponent off-guard,” Gane explained. “I defended against the takedown and made contact. We noticed some blood on his nose, and it was a fantastic first round.”
Dana White offered his own perspective at the post-fight press conference, attempting to balance the situation. “I can’t make people fight. And you definitely can’t make somebody continue if they feel they’ve been injured … Tom didn’t want to continue.”
